Care Packages for Men Gift Guide

Even the manliest of guys can use a little T.L.C. when he’s away from home! And that is what makes care packages great gifts for men. Whether he’s on an extended business trip or overseas in the military, a care package allows him to get the things he wants and needs no matter where in the world he is. To help you get started creating your own care packages, here are some suggestions for what to include in your gift:

Baked Goods

You’re going to want to impress here – we get it – the way to a guy’s heart is through his stomach. But take a moment to check your realistic-meter. Does he love lemon bars? Yes. Will they ship well? Absolutely not. So, depending on where your care package is going, you want to include food items that will hold up through rough travel and harsh weather conditions. Baked goods, such as cookies and brownies, are a great choice because they travel really well with the help of minimal packaging. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the goodies, put a few slices of bread on top, and then seal the tin (or whatever you’re sending them in). The bread will protect everything from getting banged up by acting as a nice cushion. But, what’s more is that the bread will lend its moisture to cookies and brownies to boot, keeping them fresher for longer!

Puzzles

Boredom. Is. Never. Fun. Luckily, there’s an easy way you can keep him busy during down time: puzzles! Books filled with crosswords, Sudoku, word searches, or any other games are great because they offer loads of entertainment without taking up too much space in your care package. Just be sure that you get the appropriate difficulty level. If he uses a pen to fill out the Sunday crossword, don’t gift a book of elementary-level puzzles. And make sure you actually give him a pen too because you just never know.

Games

If he’s with other people, it might be nice to have a few games kicking around. Generally speaking, classic board games, like Monopoly, are a no-go. They’re massive in comparison with, say, a deck of cards, and can be pretty inconvenient to travel with because of all those oh-so-cute and totally lose-able pieces. So, if you’re going to include a game, consider its size as well as its components. Lucky for you, there are plenty of small, simple games out there, including classics, like dominoes, cards, and dice, as well as newer games, like Bananagrams, Yikerz, and Uno.

Words

No matter what he’s up to, his care package should include something that allows him to escape, and books are a great way for men to do just that. If he can’t get enough of a certain genre, like mysteries for example, try to find a book in that category that’s recently been published or maybe just new to him. And keep in mind that other types of written works, including graphic novels, comics, and magazines, are great options too. (If it’s easier for him to read something digitally, consider including a gift card to an online store instead of an actual, tangible book.)

News

In a day and age when news stories travel thousands of miles in seconds, you can rest assured that he’ll be caught up with most current events where ever he goes. Most. That’s because certain news stories, like the everyday occurrences in your small home town, are not going to be broadcasted on the BBC’s home banner. But you can keep him up to date with what’s going on by including actual clippings of local newspapers in a care package! Arrange the clippings to form your own news publication and if no one covered a story you think he’d find relevant, pencil it in yourself!

About the Author:

Katie Straw is the Gourmet Scribe at GourmetGiftBaskets.com, one of the top suppliers of gift baskets in the nation, and currently resides in Manchester, New Hampshire.